


connected by the red thread

by Squishy_TRex



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Drabbles, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-23
Updated: 2014-04-26
Packaged: 2018-01-20 11:58:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1509668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squishy_TRex/pseuds/Squishy_TRex
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The many lives and stories of James Buchanan Barnes and Natalia Alianovna "Natasha" Romanov.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. how to begin again

**Author's Note:**

> This is a collection of drabbles involving James Barnes and Natasha Romanov in various situations, locations, AUs, etc. Originally written for BuckyNat week, but I'm still interested in continuing them.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #buckynat week prompt: "Where do we begin? The rubble or our sins?"

There aren’t enough words in the world for all the apologies he has to make.

James (he’s not sure if he’s ready to be Bucky right now) Barnes sits on a bench in some park. Somewhere anonymous, where he can sift through everything in his mind in peace. He’d always been good at blending in. That didn’t change with remembering.

Remembering was the worst kind of pain. Worse than being alone. Worse than dying the first time. And, dare he say it, worse than the Red Room.

He hasn’t seen Steve yet. He doesn’t think he’s ready to face him. Not yet. And Steve hasn’t attempted to find him. Probably wouldn’t be able to on his own.

There’s only one person who can find him. And he’s almost surprised it’s taken her this long.

He feels her presence before he sees her.

There are some things that will never change.

“Are you here to take me in?” She’s still out of sight, but his words cause her to move into his line of sight.

He doesn’t look at her.

“No.”

He hears her sit down beside him.

He still doesn’t look at her.

They just sit together. To any onlookers, they would look like any normal couple. They’ve had years of practice at looking like a normal couple. They just never had a chance to be one.

The silence deadens the air

“I’m sorry.” His first apology hangs in the air, hovers between them, thickening the tension in the air.

“You don’t have to apologize to me,” she replies. He doesn’t have to look at her to know that she’s mildly annoyed. She would never want an apology, he knows that. But he’s been nothing but a disappointment so far. Why stop now?

“I still did. And I have a lot more apologies to make, to people who want…or need them. Might as well start practicing.”

“So many apologies.” She’s waiting. He can feel the tension in her body, in her breathing.

“I don’t even know where to begin.”

Natasha takes his metal hand in hers. He startles at the unexpected contact and finally turns to look at her. Her face is firm, but loving, in the only way she can be. She grips his hand tight, deft fingers curling over his own. A promise.

“We begin together.”


	2. your face is redder than a stop sign

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> buckynat high school AU with Natasha having fun making Bucky blush?

They were supposed to be studying.

The two of them had managed to find a secluded corner of the library and

And they managed to actually get some studying done that lasted all of ten minutes.

If Natasha was honest, the whole thing was her fault.  But in her defense, this was the first time she’d seen James all day and she wasn’t going to let this opportunity to go to waste.

It’s not like she really needed to study anyway, being at the top of her classes and all.

So she decided to distract one James Barnes, who really shouldn’t be that invested in the biology textbook in front of him.

She started small by taking one of the pens strewn across the table and gently tapping it against her lips. He was still engrossed in studying so she added a little bit of finger drumming on the wooden surface. She didn’t tend to make unnecessary noise and she knew he knew that.

Sure enough, the rhythm of her fingers got him to glance up at her, one eyebrow raised slightly. Just as he started to turn back to his book, she slid the pen partway into her mouth.

Natasha pretended to keep her gaze on towards the calculus book in front of her, while subtly gauging James’s reaction.

He hadn’t gone back to his studying quite yet and his face had started to turn slightly red. She flicked her eyes up to meet his briefly and his face blushed even further before he hastily looked down.

Natasha smirked.

She had him, hook, line, and sinker.

Just like she always did. 

Now she was going to have a little fun.

Throwing away any trace of subtlety, Natasha started to slide the pen in and out of her mouth. She dragged it across her lips and, when she was sure he was peeking up from his book, slipped her tongue out to curl around the tip.

Natasha didn’t have to look at him to know that he was eyeing her more than the textbook. But she still wasn’t satisfied.

 So she started to sigh softly. Nothing obscene, but definitely loud enough to catch his attention. In addition to that, she used her other hand to gently play with her hair, red strands twirling around her fingers. She went on like this for a good three minutes, not even pretending to study, until James interrupted with a noise that sounded like a cross between a choke and fake cough.

She paused in her distractions to give him an innocent look.

“Something wrong, James?”

He fixed her with a glare that said he wasn’t buying her innocent tone. She only grinned in response. The deep red flush to his face was an attractive look on him. Now he just needed swollen lips and mussed hair to match.

That thought lifted her out of her seat and she made her way over to his side of the table, stopping next to him and gently brushing his arm before walking into the stacks.

Natasha was halfway through the aisle when she heard the telltale pounding of footsteps behind her. She smirked as she turned the corner and leaned up against the shelves on the other side.

As soon as he turned the corner, she smiled and jumped right into his waiting arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist

“You drive me crazy, Natasha, you know that?” She kissed him in response, taking the time to softly bite his lips.

“You love it,” she said as she ran her fingers through his brown hair. James laughed and as he leaned in for another kiss, Natasha definitely thought the blushing face, mussed hair, and swollen lips looked perfect on him.

 


	3. most important meal of the day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> BuckyNat week prompt: Bucky manages to drag Nat to a pancake house.

“You gotta trust me on this, Natasha.”

The woman in question, snorted, as she finished lacing up her shoes.

Civilian clothes seemed so cumbersome compared to uniforms.

“I trust you to have my back. I trust you to do your job.”

She turned to face on James Buchanan Barnes, who had just finished putting on his coat.

“I do NOT trust you to pick out a good place to eat.”

James clutched a hand to his chest in mock pain, the silver of his hand a stark contrast against the blue of his coat.

“You really know how to wound a guy’s pride. I don’t think my suggestions have been that bad.”

Natasha just shook her head.

“Sports bars and retro diners don’t really count as quality eating establishments,” she said as she buttoned up her coat and wrapping a scarf around her neck.

“Well you’re in luck because the place we’re going to is completely different.”

“Sounds promising already,” she said, accepting his proffered arm as they walked out the door.

* * *

 

They had been walking through the snow-covered streets for a few blocks now, the snowflakes swirling gently around them. Natasha raised her gaze to the sky, a few early stars peeking through the clouds, before turning it back to James, whose face still maintained an exuberant grin despite his face flushed from the cold. 

“Are you going to tell me where we’re eating?” she asked, squeezing their interlocked hands playfully. 

James just kept grinning, the cold starting to seep into his cheeks while they continued walking down the street, snow drifting all around them.

“Nope.” Natasha raised an eyebrow. He seemed…happier than usual.

“Fine. Not like I couldn’t figure it out if I wanted to.” He chuckled.

“I want to keep it a surprise.”

Natasha smirked.

“With you, I think I’ve had enough surprises to last 50 lifetimes,” she replied. When he laughed again, she couldn’t help but smile. His good mood was contagious.

They both deserved to be in a good mood.

Natasha huffed out a resigned sigh. Wherever he ended up taking them couldn’t be that terrible, if he was that happy about it.

“Okay, this is it!”

His excited voice shifted her attention to the building he was pointing at. When she saw what it was

“What exactly am I looking at?”

He grinned. She whipped her head around to stare at him, unrestrained glee showing on his face. It was a good look on him, albeit an unusual one.

“Did you seriously take me out to an IHOP?”

He just kept grinning.

 “Hey, anywhere that serves pancakes 24 hours a day is considered fine dining to me.” Natasha rolled her eyes as James dragged her through the doorway.

“Am I going to regret this?” He shrugged.

“Do you usually regret following my lead?”

She raised an eyebrow at him while they waited to be seated. He winced as realized what he said.

“On second thought, don’t answer that.” 


	4. down by the schoolyard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> buckynat prompt : avengers high school au where bucky gets teased about his obvious crush on nat and tries to deny it

James “Bucky” Barnes did not have a crush on Natasha Romanov.

He did not.

Just because she had red hair that reminded him of fire, was always the smartest person in the room, and could kick anyone’s ass ten ways to Sunday (the last guy who taunted her hadn’t been seen in class since last week) did not mean that he had a crush.

Anyone could appreciate those qualities. Heck, everyone should.

He stabbed at his unappealing lunch in disdain as he tried very hard to not look at Natasha who was halfway across the cafeteria.

“You have it so bad, man.”

Bucky groaned as Sam Wilson sat down next to him.

“I don’t have a-“he stopped when Sam shot him a look of disbelief.

Bucky blushed and ducked his head.

“I just really appreciate her. I mean, who wouldn’t, she’s amazing.”

Sam snorted.

“Yeah, you appreciate her the same way Steve appreciates Sharon.”

“Who appreciates who the same way I appreciate Sharon?” Steve said as he plunked his tray down and squeezing in between the two. Sam could barely contain his look of glee.

“We were talking about Bucky’s hopeless crush on Natasha.”

Bucky groaned and dropped his head in his hands. Steve grinned.

“Don’t look now, Bucky, but your “hopeless crush” is headed this way,” Steve said. Bucky’s head snapped up so fast he almost broke his neck.

Natasha was indeed heading his way, looking like a goddess without even trying. Bucky swallowed.

They were right. He did have it bad.

“Hey James,” she said. He turned around in his seat to face her, ignoring the snickers coming from his so-called “friends.”

“He-hey Natasha,” Bucky responded.

She smiled. Bucky could swear he was blinded.

“I need someone to study with for the history test on the Soviet Union tomorrow. Could you help me out? I’m free tonight.”

Bucky could feel his mouth gape open like a suffocating fish. He could swear he wasn’t hearing her right. It was like all of his dreams were coming true at once.

Steve gently nudged him when a minute had passed and Bucky still hadn’t responded.

He snapped his mouth shut.

“Su-sure. I’m free tonight too.”

“Great! My house ok?”

“Yeah ok. It’s a date!”

Bucky could feel his face burn with embarrassment as the words left his mouth. He didn’t think he’d ever been this embarrassed in his life. The snickers from his friends were now turning into full-blown laughter.

But Natasha didn’t seem to notice them.

“Yeah,” she sent him another dazzling smile (he was definitely blinded). “It’s a date.” She turned and left Bucky to his embarrassment and his “best friends.” He watched her go, ignoring them.

He had it so bad.

“I guess your hopeless crush isn’t so hopeless after all,” Steve said with a smile so wide it looked like it would split his face. “Better get ready for your “date.”

Sam howled with laughter as Bucky groaned once again.


End file.
